Which Federal Brigade suffered the most casualties (proportionately) at Antietam? An Imperfect Analysis

   Civil War arithmetic is never an exact science--let's get that out of the way first. Hence, the information below is likely an imperfect analysis of the posed question: which infantry brigade in the Army of the Potomac suffered, proportionately, the greatest number of casualties on September 17, 1862?

The attack of Fairchild's Brigade was sketched in the battle's aftermath

A Postscript to the 156th Antietam Anniversary

   Another Battle of Antietam anniversary has come and gone. In case you missed it, the Antietam Brigades blog was on the battlefield for much of the day with real-time Facebook live videos and posts. Unfortunately, the afternoon sections were rained out.
   In case you missed any of them, check out all of the links below: 

Antietam Eve: The Night of September 16, 1862

   "The quiet that precedes a battle has something of the terrible in it," wrote an Ohio soldier recalling the night of September 16, 1862.

The Antietam sunrise on September 17, 2012.

   That night in the fields and woodlots surrounding Sharpsburg was an awful night for those who experienced it. The soldiers on the front lines suffered from a drizzling of rain. Occasional musketry volleys and random shots punctuated the soothing sounds of the water falling through the tree canopies. Those farther back from the scene of the impending action felt an eeriness in the air. But all on that battlefield knew what the next day would bring--tenacious conflict. Each soldier reflected on what tomorrow could bring. For the Confederacy, one more victory might bring its independence. For the United States, one more loss could spell the end of its nationhood.